GENXARMY SHASHANK SHEKHAR SINGH

Monday, July 19, 2010

FROM Economics to Tamil literature, these are the staple options for nearly 90% of the students in the country. Barring a few like Economics and Fine Arts, which do offer job possibilities which are related to what you study, most of the other programmes equip you with certain critical analytical and conceptual capabilities. But identifying the right job for the skills you have is left to your imagination and ability.

One of the most misunderstood degree programmes, languages still remain the least popular choice. But with increasing usage of vernacular languages in media, entertainment and even commerce, the potential for a good career exists if you equip yourself with language skills.

Course overviewApart from learning the language you will study literature and masterpieces in the chosen language to strengthen your base and understanding of the language. You would need to study the history of the language as well as understand the changes in the application of the language, over the years.

Job opportunitiesTranslation, journalism and teaching are some fields, which recruit professionals with a language skill. From a copy writer to editor, good language skills are most essential for success. Advertising is another field that increasingly looks at language experts. Copywriting in Indian languages is a very lucrative option. Yet anther niche job, is act as micro finance facilitators. The cultural insights that a language degree provides you, coupled with a diploma in micro finance, would give you a headstart as a loan officer for the innumerable firms that are entering this field. Nachiket Mor, President of ICICI Foundation predicts that nearly a million jobs would be available in the coming decade in this domain. The pay is largely dependent on your area of work, initial range for fresh graduates would be between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 15,000

First introduced by Calcutta University in 1920, it is the study of the evolution of man from primitive times to the present, along with the physical and cultural diversity of human beings based on living environments is part of the territory.

Course overviewAn interdisciplinary field, you will study Socio-cultural Anthropology, Prehistoric anthropology, Physical or Biological Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology and Applied Anthropology. Field work is also part of the course.

Job opportunitiesAnthropologists basically provide staff function. They provide inputs on a particular race of society to other professionals. In other words, their expertise would enable archaeologists, medical doctors and social sector specialists perform their job better. So job opportunities are minimal but well paying. Some of the experts, with doctoral degrees also advise large developmental organizations like WHO, UNDP, etc.

Human-social relationships is the focus. Being interdisciplinary, it includes fields such as demography, criminology and environmental sociology. In addition, you will delve into the depths of society and religion. Understanding economic, cultural and political aspects of countries is also required.

Course overviewThe discipline will help you to understand social structures and processes. Not only will you learn about human society, but you will also develop the ability to classify human social behaviour. You will learn about kinship, religion, politics, economics and the society along with its impact on everyday life.

Job opportunitiesResearch and related aspects find the most takers. A sociology graduate will work largely in the social sector with various NGO’s and organisations. Though government jobs are also available, postgraduates have an edge. Many graduates continue to do their postgraduation and work on projects alongside. Community work takes in a lot of the students. The pay is largely dependent on the project and place of work.

If you have the creative bent, there is no other better option than a course in English literature. You will delve into the world of literature, right from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales to Vikram Seth’s ‘A Suitable Boy.’ If you complete your programmes from a good colleges, you will strengthen your English communication skills, writing techniques and analysis of literature. Creative skills and an interest in reading all kinds of literature come with the territory. In addition, you will need to understand historical, political, psychological and spiritual aspects as well.

Course overviewYou will study a range of literature, from classics to modern novels, and poetry. Understanding their implied meanings is part of the territory. Similes, metaphors and interpretations will be part of the course. If you don’t enjoy reading, you will face a tough time. Your writing skills and reading of literature will widen your perspectives as you do the course.

Job opportunitiesYou can choose from a number of jobs, such as teaching, publishing, writing, advertising, research or translation. Becoming a scriptwriter or author is another possibility. Publishing houses also commission you to author books. You can become an English teacher, too. Salary will vary according to the place where you join.

This science branch deals with the study of the earth, environment, history and minerals. A career in this field is gaining popularity; explore different branches such as structural geology, mineralogy, planetology and geomorphology as well.

Course overviewDelves into assessment of natural disasters and effects on the environment. Study about under-water resources, oil, natural gas and minerals. Get acquainted with activities like construction of bridges, roads, buildings and laying railway lines, with respect to natural resources. You will be taught to assess quality of soil through geo-chemical and geo-physical tests, too.

Job opportunitiesYou can become a geologist, meteorologist, geographer or oceanographer. Explore careers in petrology, paleontology, geophysics, mining or field study. Good employment opportunities exist in the public and private sector. Apply for jobs with Central Government agencies through exam by UPSC. Explore Defense and Paramilitary forces and firms like Reliance, Essar that have stakes in Indian mining space.

Botany by definition is the scientific study of plants, including algae, fungi, lichens, mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants. An understanding of ecology and interaction between organisms and the environment is part of the field.

Course overviewA combination of theory and practicals, you will study Ecology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Physiology and Taxonomy. Be ready to memorise a lot!

Job opportunities:Some outdoor positions to consider include that of ecologist, taxonomist, conservationist, forester or plant explorer. A person with an inclination towards mathematics can opt for the field of biophysics, developmental botany, genetics or systems ecology. An interest in chemistry can provide you with the opportunity to become a plant biochemist, molecular biologist or plant physiologist. Biotechnology is a big field to enter as well.

Home Science has been in existence for many years, an option that most think is only available to women. The curriculum and course is also being altered to keep up with the current scenario. Focus on health and nutrition forms a large chunk of the course. The field of home science has an interdisciplinary nature to it.

Course overviewThe course is interdisciplinary in nature, you are required to learn the basics of Physics, Chemistry and Biology as part of the curriculum. A balance between the scientific approach and practicality is provided. Focus on betterment of family and community is part of the course as well. You will learn subjects such as nutrition and dietetics, rural community extension, child development, and interior decoration as part of the course.

Job opportunitiesThe opportunities for employment are growing, you can take up jobs in the production industry, tourism, service industry or healthcare as well. In addition, you can work as a nutrition consultant or a research analyst. Most opportunities lie in the non-governmental organisations for graduates. Teaching is another lucrative option available. A degree also opens up vistas for self-employment like starting their own school, crèche, interior design and fashion boutiques.

WHEN a multinational food company proposed to open a beverage stall at the JNU campus, the idea was argued to the hilt. Students discussed, debated and eventually voted against the opening of a branded outlet in the university grounds. This is just one of the many tales that the 41-year-old university has in its fold. Life has moved on since then, with logo-free tea/ coffee, but not without strengthening the legacy of free expression, a uniquely distinctive feature of the JNU.

Images : Samik Sen

On campus: JNU’s 1,100-acre expanse provides ample physical and intellectual space for young and agile minds. One can spot a lone student pouring over Socrates’ philosophy or the merits of socialism. Debating over issues like societal change, meritocracy, labour laws and other political, socio-economic topics form the DNA of the university.

One can sense that banter is not the core competency of students here and talk of subjects like fashion would be regarded as frivolous. On the other hand, aesthetics would be considered interesting. A research-focused university, it has stood by its culture of cerebral discussions that occur more passionately after dinner hours. Campus life, which follows a certain pace and rhythm, moves unhurried and un-harried.

The walls of the university act as a canvas for student groups to express their ideologies. We are greeted by graffiti walls, mostly provocative political slogans, as we approach the admissions and counselling section at the West Wing. “Oppression is your privilege, protest is our right”, “Resist commercialisation of education”, “Scrap Article 370, Implement uniform Civil Code”, “Red salute to the ongoing movements of the Adivasis in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Lalgarh”, find an outlet.

Future of JNUJNU has a rich history and a unique, vibrant culture. While admirers may love to regale in its past glory, it’s disconcerting to notice that the institution is gradually getting caught up in a time warp. It needs rapid overhaul to realise its potential of a truly global university...

1. The university lacks diversity of disciplines. Programmes in medicine, chemistry, engineering, architecture as well as other areas don’t exist, thus leaving students with a limited choice of subjects.

2. Political slogans dominate the campus, giving an immediate feel that beyond political history, other disciplines don’t impact the student’s expression that much. Thoughts on environment, Information Technology, Culture, physical sciences or Sankrit slokas, find little or no space on the wall.

3. For a campus that engages in high-minded debate, it’s ironic that something as elementary as cleanliness in public spaces does not strike students. Students casually tossed the cups after finishing ‘intellectual’ conversations over tea.

4. A run-down Teflas (canteen), with poor maintenance and questionable hygiene greeted us with passable food. That’s pretty much the state of all canteens; chipped walls, energy-inefficient tubelights and rickety fans.

5. The vast expanse of space does act as a thought ground for ruminating minds. Aesthetically maintained greens is icing on the cake. However, only a few select stretches of the campus are well-manicured; other manageable tracts lie neglected.

Pamphlets jostle for space on the walls that highlight course-related announcements, cultural festivals, invitation for debates and similar notifications. The West Wing has a computerised notice board, which flashes an event listing and beamed an ad for volunteers for Commonwealth Games. It also transmits student-related matters like anti-ragging policies and more.

The JNU has 10 schools and three centres in the campus (see box). One can’t help but notice the eclectic mix of students, national and international, underlining heterogeneity in its true form.

Programmes and eligibility: Admissions are through an entrance examination conducted at 71 centres across the country. The admission notification is published in newspapers in February. In the third week of May, a written test is conducted across various centres (see table). Performance in the written test and marks in the viva voce determine the admission.

Each programme has a fixed number of seats. The total capacity of the institution is around 6,000 students. The university provides 22.5 percent reservation for SC and ST students and 3 percent for the physically challenged. Reservations for foreign nationals amount to 5 percent. The last date of admission to any programme is August 14.

Faculty: Academic freedom is what a true-blooded scholar desires and the JNU provides just the ground for that, keeping research as the nucleus of the academic activity. Student-teacher ratio hovers at 12:1. The faculty strength is 514 plus 19 Professor Emeritus and four Honorary professors. The attrition rate of the faculty is negligible.

Prof. S K Kejriwal of the School of Social Sciences attributes this trend to the academic autonomy allotted to faculty members. Students and teachers bond well and enjoy great interpersonal relationships, he tells us. “There is no hierarchal relationship,” he adds. Unlike the trend in some academic institutions, the faculty members engaged in research work here don’t receive monetary reward for their published works, another faculty member adds.

Learning resources: The library, spread over an area of approximately one lakh square feet, is a nine-storey block. One wonders why the library is not fully digitisatied till date. It is open 361 days from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and gives access to 5.51 lakh reading materials including books, serials and non-book materials. A total of 965 journals are subscribed.

The collection is categorised subject-wise on different floors under three major streams: Social Sciences, Humanities and Sciences. The ’Dholpur House’ situated next to the library attracts civil services aspirants to come and prepare for the exams there. A cyber library with 200 computers is available to access 14,000 full text e-journals/databases as well as for theses/dissertation work. During exam time, library timings are extended up to midnight. The Helen Keller unit is a separate one for visually impaired students.

Centre for the Study of Law and GovernanceMultidisciplinary approach in various aspects of law and governanceMPhil, PhD, direct PhD

Residential facility: The campus houses 17 hostels independently for boys and girls, including one for married research scholars and one for Post Doctoral Fellows. The hostels accommodate about 4,300-odd students. Monthly mess charges are Rs. 850 and the annual rent for single and double seats are pegged at Rs. 240 and Rs. 120 respectively. Besides, other annual nominal charges of newspapers (Rs. 15) crockery (Rs. 50) among a few others.

May 17- 19, 2010: All–India EntranceExamination for Admission to: First and Second Year of BA (Hons.) Programmes in Foreign Languages

May 18-19, 2010: Entrance Examination for Admission to Part-time Programme of Study (Advanced Diploma in Mass Media in Urdu and Certificate in Language Proficiency)Students activities: There are various cultural clubs which function under the supervision of a convener elected by the students. Each club is dedicated to an area such as cinema, fine arts, music, photography, the UN and UNESCO. They organise or collaborate with relevant institutions or corporate for activities like social campaign or contest.

Students can seek membership of one or more club by paying a nominal fee. Sports facilities include a stadium, lawn tennis court, badminton court and also provision for indoor sports like chess. Sports fellowships are offered for one full academic year to students who play at the state and national level.

Placements: For a campus, which displays full-blown political activism, not many opt for a career in politics. However, it’s a hub which feeds teaching and research positions in academic institutions and in think tanks. Civil service both at centre and states is another favourite career option in the campus. Barring science schools and economics students, corporates aren’t seen jostling to pick up students. “Many youngsters mostly take up jobs in NGOs,” says a former student.

More features: The JNU has employment, information and guidance bureaus to help the alumni. The GSCASH cell takes up matters of sexual harassment with strict disciplinary action. Anti-ragging policy ensures that the menace is kept under check. The Health Centre is open on all working days, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m and membership is compulsory.

Though the campus is not in the pink of health, it still is an oasis, in terms of the opportunities it offers to a potential student. With its progressive admission policy, and ridiculously low fees, it is an attractive option for even a student from the lowest stratum of the society. The open culture it promotes among students and faculty, is a bonus. If not for anything else, it does provide the intellectual ambience and personal space for pursuing any goal you may choose. If you get admission, just grab it.

AS the whole world focuses on climate change and its impact on environment, a group of officers sees to it that India’s forest cover does not shrink. They belong to the Indian Forest Service.

The IFS exam spread over 10 days is followed by a Personality Test conducted by the UPSC for shortlisted candidates. The number of attempts to appear for the exam is limited to four.

Fee: Examination fee is Rs. 100 payable through a single Central recruitment Fee Stamp. Fee is exempted for all female candidates, SC and ST candidates. Physically disabled candidates are exempted from paying the fee, subject to conditions of eligibility.

Eligibility: The minimum educational qualification is a Bachelor’s degree with at least one of these subjects: Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Zoology or a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Forestry or in Engineering or an equivalent qualification.

The exam: The written exam comprises 6 papers: Paper I - General English (300 marks); Paper II - GK (300 marks); Paper III, IV, V and VI - any two subjects to be opted by the candidate from the list of the optional subjects. Each subject has two papers of 200 marks each. The standard of papers in General English and General Knowledge is of the level of a Science or Engineering graduate. The syllabus for optional subject papers is broadly of the Honours degree level. Paper I, includes an essay in English and answer questions designed to test the understanding of English and precise use of words (comprehension and precis etc. ). Paper II includes questions on current events, Indian political system, Constitution, Indian History and Geography.

Related Job OptionsOrganisation/DepartmentPositionsResearch Establishments such as Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education ,Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Agriculture Universities, Forest Research InstitutesResearch Fellows/Associates

Research Organisations such as Indian Agricultural Research Institute (regional centre), Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering & Technology, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, ICAR Research Complex For NEH RegionScientists

Krishi Vigyan KendraSubject Matter SpecialistsState Public Service Commissions, for instance, Maharashtra Public Service Commission

An interest in history, buildings, construction costs, the ability to think 3D and good drawing skills are required.

Course overviewCombines theoretical and practical training. You will develop, sharpen creative skills, and also spend hours in the design studio and work on projects individually as well as in groups.

Job opportunitiesWork with the Government and developing agencies like the Public Works Department (PWD), National Institutes of Urban Affairs and Housing, Department of Railways and Urban Development Corporations. Some choose to work under an established architect or for an architecture/ interior design firm. Freshers can start as a Junior Architects/Assistant and earn Rs. 12,000 to 15,000 a month.

Click here for a detailed career review (featured in the March 2010 of Careers360 magazine).

Administration is a crucial element in an office and includes managing day-to-day activities like financial planning, billing, and maintenance of employee and company records. Even small organisations need office administrators.

Course overviewYou will learn office administration methods and systems, and about industrial and administrative law. Studying organisational behaviour, financial, personnel management and managerial economics is also part of the curriculum.

Job opportunitiesYou could get a job with a government or private organisation. Initial pay is low but could increase to Rs. 3 lakhs with experience and efficiency. You would start out as a typist, DTP, Office Assistant or Accounts Assistant. As you show initiative and gain experience, you could move towards Office Manager or Admin Chief in large organisations.

Physiotherapy is a type of treatment that has gained in popularity on the global platform. Developing skills such as manual therapy is a must along with knowledge about therapeutic exercise and application of electro-physical modalities. You need to understand various diseases, medication and history of each individual patient that comes for treatment.

Course overviewUnderstanding movement and health is a core part of the course. You will need to understand prevention, assessment and treatment of the whole range of physical disorders.

Job opportunitiesAfter completion, you can work in the government or private sector, join the physiotherapy department in hospitals, medical institutions, health departments or private nursing homes. A number of NGOs have also started running physiotherapy programmes for the aged and the infirm, pushing up the demand for trained physiotherapists. You can also set up your own physiotherapy clinic.

Rehabilitation, fitness programmes or research and development in pharmaceutical companies are other viable options. Physical rehabilitation is in great demand worldwide. Doing this course guarantees you a job.

Travel and tourism encompasses both the public and private sectors. Basic people skills, organising, executing and managing the travel and stay of a traveller, will give you the edge.

Course overviewYou will learn about various aspects of tourism, which includes a glimpse into Indian culture, ecology, environment and development. You will also learn about tourism management and marketing, besides related aspects like air ticketing.

Job opportunitiesIf you opt for the public sector, you can join Directorates and Departments of Tourism across the country. The private sector provides jobs at travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, transport and cargo companies. Adventure sports and heritage walks are newer options available in this field. Freshers can expect to start with a salary of between Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 15,000 a month.

A s more MNCs set up shop, language translators are in great demand. You need a good grasp of at least two languages, a source language and a target language to fit into this arena. You could go for a BA in Japanese, French, Spanish or Russian, depending on your interest and job scope. Make sure your institute is reputed for its teachers.

Course overviewIncludes reading, writing, listening and speaking, as well as an overview of the culture and history of the home country.

Job opportunitiesTranslators work across the judiciary system, medical, technical fields, travel companies, embassies, companies or institutions with global operations and MNCs. Pay varies in terms of the language of expertise as well as the work involved. A beginner can earn between Rs. 15,000 to Rs.35,000 per month.

Yoga is an ancient art, and a natural way of remaining fit and healthy. It also helps in improving mental health. Curing health-related problems naturally is taught as part of the programme. An integral part of Yoga is practicing physical exercises (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayam). Fitness is the call of today’s world, raising the need for a yoga instructor or teacher on the global platform.

Course overview:You will be trained on the various asanas and pranayam as well, and learn the art of imparting Yoga techniques to different age groups based on lifestyle patterns and health related issues. Designing personalised regimes along with inspiring others to live healthy lives, is part of the territory.

Job opportunitiesBased on the Yoga training you have received, you can opt for the field of research, training or work as a Yoga therapist. You can find work in resorts, gyms, schools, health centres, housing societies and large organisations. Television channels also hire Yoga trainers, and renowned personalities prefer to hire personal Yoga instructors. Self-employment is an option many opt for as well. A great stress buster, Yoga is gaining ground among the ever-increasing number of foreign tourists who seek peaceful holidays, adding to the demand for Yoga specialists. A fresher can earn Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 15,000 a month. With experience, the salary climbs higher at a faster pace.

Here, an interest and aptitude are equally essential for success. Even years of practice cannot give you a sweet voice. There are three forms: Music involves vocals, composing and playing instruments; Drama involves acting skills that combine speech, gestures, facial expressions and sound to depict a story or thought; Dance combines drama and music.

Course overviewIt offers a conceptual knowledge, a thorough grounding in techniques and grammar, and of course, performance. Students must specialise in one art.

Job opportunitiesThese depend on the performing art pursued by you. Talent and visibility in the world of performing arts is the deciding factor in terms of an artist’s future. A dancer can open their own schools to teach dance as well as keep performing on stage as a dancer. Remuneration will depend on your talent and the location where you practice. Struggling to make a name in the industry is part and parcel of the field.

The field focuses broadly on painting, sculpting, applied art, graphic design and mural design. You must have a creative streak and be able to learn and master various media to express your art. Colleges usually organise annual art and design exhibitions that get a critical reviews from the public.

Course overviewYou will get hands-on experiences right from sculpturing to painting, print-making and photography. You will learn the process from beginning to end through each medium of expression. This is the time that students make their personal choice of medium as well. Studying art history is also part of the curriculum, along with continuous assessment.

Job opportunitiesYou can join creative departments of advertising agencies, magazines, newspapers in the publishing industry or the textile industry. Electronic media, films and theatre are other options. The salary is varied, and also depends on your talent. You can also be a art historian, art dealer, art therapist or art educator. Unfortunately, few artists have the luxury of becoming full-time painters or sculptors.

IF you want to have a say in the way in which your country is run, step into the most-sought-after career choice, the Civil Services. Cracking the Prelims and the Mains will take you up a structured career ladder that could finally see you as a secretary or more, having a say in most of the policy matters.

Civil Service exams is considered one of the most stringent and elaborate exams conducted by the UPSC. Government has also approved a proposal to introduce an aptitude test (Civil Services Aptitude Test).

However, this year the shortlisting of candidates for the mains exam will be done through the preliminary examination. The candidates usually opt for the top three services: Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and the Indian Foreign Service, followed by Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ services.

Group 'A' Services: These include: Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service; Indian Audit & Accounts Service; Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise); Indian Defence Accounts Service; Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax); Indian Ordnance Factories Service; Indian Postal Service; Indian Civil Accounts Service; Indian railway Traffic Service; Indian railway Accounts Service; Indian Railway Personnel Service; Indian Defence Estates Service; Indian Information Service; Indian Trade Service; Indian Corporate Law Service. For other services, see http://persmin.nic.in/

ServicesVacancy*Indian Administrative ServiceNAIndian Foreign ServiceNAIndian Police ServiceNAGroup 'A' ServicesNAGroup 'B' ServicesNATotal965*Based on exam scheduled on 23 May 2010**Group-wise break-up is not available beforehandGroup 'B' Services: Defence Forces Civil Service and Civil/Police Service of the Union Territories in India and various other services. For details see http://persmin.nic.in/

The Preliminary Exam, conducted at 45 centres across the country, usually in the 3rd week of May every year, is followed by the Mains and Personality Test conducted by the UPSC for the shortlisted candidates. For the Civil Services (2009) 2441 candidates were selected for Personality Test being held from 22.03.2010 to 06.04.2010. The number of attempts is limited to four.

Eligibility: Apart from nationality, age, sex and marital status, the minimum educational qualification is a graduation degree from any of the recognised universities, or declared to be deemed as a University or possess an equivalent qualification (refer Table 1).

Fee: Rs. 50 payable to through a single Central Recruitment Fee Stamp available at Post Offices. Fee is exempted for all female candidates, the physically handicapped, SC and ST candidates. Those admitted to the Main Exam need to pay a further fee of Rs. 100.

About the ExamCivil Services (Preliminary) Written Exam: It consists of only objective type questions with multiple choices answers. It is divided into two papers: General Studies Paper (150 marks) and Optional Subject Specific Paper (300 marks) of two hours each. Preliminary Exam serves as a screening test for qualifying in the Mains Examination. The number of candidates to be admitted to the Mains Exam is 12-13 times the total approximate number of vacancies to be filled in that year.

One could choose any one of the 23 subjects listed alongside as the optional subject. The General Studies paper includes questions from general science, current events of both national and international importance, history of India and Indian national movement; India and World Geography, Indian Polity and Economy and General Mental Ability. Questions in the optional subject would be such that they are able to assess the candidate's understanding and knowledge about the subject.

Civil Services (Main): This consists of nine papers of conventional essay type. The nine papers, each of three hours duration, are as follows:

Paper I - any one of the Indian languages included in the Eighth schedule of the Constitution (300 marks);Paper II - English (300 marks);Paper III - Essay (200 marks); Papers IV & V - General Studies (300 marks each);Paper VI, VII, VIII & IX - any two subjects (each subject has two papers) opted by the candidate from the list of optional subjects given above (300 marks for each paper).The questions in Paper I & II will be of matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature. However, Paper -I is not compulsory for candidates hailing from the seven north-eastern States except Assam.Any two subjects from the list given alongside could be chosen as the optional subjects. There are certain combination of subjects that are not permissible for candidates to opt from.

These subjects are: (a) Political Science and International Relations and Public Administration (b) Commerce and Accountancy and Management (c) Anthropology and Sociology (d) Mathematics and Statistics (e) Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science (f) Management and Public Administration (g) of the engineering subjects, viz. Civil, Electrical and Mechanical - not more than one subject and (h) Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science and Medical Science.

The Personality test or better known as interview is of 300 marks. In this test the candidates are assessed on their overall personality, including their understanding of the subjects opted, individual opinion on different issues of national and international importance and personal interests.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

THE opening up of deemed university status to standalone engineering and management colleges has enabled some of these institutions to drastically increase capacity in the last two to three years. While the recent decision by the government to derecognise some of them came as a jolt, the Supreme Court’s decision to maintain status quo has resulted in most of these colleges moving further up on their growth path.

Don't miss! Searchable database to find an engineering collegeWhile some of the deemed universities like Amrita have begun to produce academic work of good quality, all of them have infrastructure of a reasonable quality. Some of these colleges like SRM have multi-location campuses while many others like VIT boast of a truly international student body. Most of them have student exchange programmes with different universities. What stands in good stead for the student is the assurance of a certain level of infrastructure and resource availability, though the level of teaching and learning experience vary widely. With individual admission processes and large capacities, these colleges do provide a better chance of obtaining an admission vis-à-vis some of the comparable state colleges. So it makes sense to keep some of these colleges in your consideration set.

SRM University

What began as a standalone engineering college in the year 1985, is today a multi-campus, multidisciplinary institution. In 2006, SRM gained deemed university status, and today it offers courses in engineering, medicine, management, science and humanities, though it is known for its engineering college. Admitting students through a national entrance test, nearly 80 percent of the students hail from outside Tamil Nadu.

The Kattankulathur campus, spread over 600 acres, is almost a township with an auditorium and 100 online smart classrooms. The library resource centre houses 112,490 volumes of books comprising 42,522 titles, and subscribes to 192 national and 71 international periodicals as well. The Semester Abroad Program sponsors meritorious students, to spend one semester at an overseas university such as MIT, Carnegie Mellon, UC Davis, Warwick and Western Australia. The Corporate Advisory Board initiative, the institute claims, facilitates collaboration between SRM and companies across industries.

SRM Research Institute, a unit of SRM University, is an initiative aimed at supporting applied research and engineering activities. According to the college, financial assistance is available in the form of 50 percent fee waivers to students who score over 90% in CBSE and above 95% in state board examinations. A Founder’s Scholarship provides a full waiver plus a stipend of Rs. 1,000 per month to top state, SRMEEE, JEE and AIEEE rankers, sports persons and students from specific socio-economic segments. The campus currently has 15 hostels of which nine are for men, and six for women.

Spread across a 600-acre campus, LPU is a private university, semi-residential university, located at Phagwara.

The university currently has a total intake of 35,000 students, and offers diplomas, UG, PG and Doctoral programmes across various disciplines. In terms of infrastructure, LPU has laboratories, an auditorium and a central library.

It claims to provide free Internet access, with a 100 MBPS, and the campus is Wi-Fi enabled. The university has over 90 computer labs, 5,000 computer terminals with Dual-Core and core 2 Duo processors and 1000 KVA of online uninterrupted power supply (UPS). Each school also has its own well equipped libraries.

Financial aid is available based on the score by students in the LPU Test for Financial Aid (LPU-TFA), conducted by the university. The institute has academic alliances with the following companies: EMC2 Corporation, SAP, Sun Academic Initiatives, SUN Microsystems, and has partnered with AISEC.

Established in 1996-97, the institute is spread over 40 acres of landscaped area within the corporation limits of Bhubaneswar. ITER has 14 academic disciplines and currently, 5,600 students are enrolled at the institute.

Headquartered in Coimbatore, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is spread over 339 acres of land, and has campuses at Amritapuri, Kochi, Bangalore and Mysore, and offers courses in Business Administration, Computer Applications, Engineering and Technology, Arts and Sciences.

Extensive libraries exist at all Amrita campuses. The library of the Amrita School of Engineering at the Coimbatore campus comprises of 44,500 volumes of books, 36,690 titles, 278 national journals, 47 international journals, 3,500 online journals, 10 databases and computer and reprographic facilities. All libraries are computerised using OPAC. Library or manual automation software such as LIBSYS is also used. Amrita’s five campuses, put together, have nearly 350 classrooms, and the three Schools of Engineering have nearly 100 fully-equipped, hi-tech labs. 102 classrooms and 45 labs of these are at Coimbatore.

Full-time students may be employed as Project Associates on funded research projects by the university, provided there is an overlap between the student’s area of research and the focus of the funded project.

The university has signed MoUs with various overseas universities such as University of California, Davis, USA, University of Tokyo, Japan, and King’s College, London, to facilitated internships, fellowships and other intiatives.Additionally, five American Universities including the University of California campuses at Berkeley and San Diego, Carnegie Mellon University, Cornell University, and State University of New York at Buffalo, will join Indian institutions led by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, ISRO, and the Department of Science and Technology to enhance science and engineering education in India over Edusat. This venture is funded by Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Cadence. In terms of residential facility, the Coimbatore campus has 6 boys’ and two girls’ hostels, which accommodate 3,515 boys and 410 girls, respectively.

Located 25 km away from Coimbatore, The Karunya Institute of Technology was started as a private self-financing engineering college in 1986. I

t now has 10 schools, which provide undergraduate and postgraduate courses in various fields. Loan scholarships are available to poor students as well as endowment awards to students who excel in their studies and in sports.

Infrastructural features include 2,200 LAN-enabled PCs with Internet connection. The college library stocks 59,000 volumes, 275 international and national journals, and online access to several journals. Karunya has signed MoUs with universities across the world, through which it aims to establish student and faculty exchanges, and set up joint research projects.

The university has also collaborated with 25 technical institutions. For instance, Microsoft provides students with free e-learning of Microsoft’s certified courses.

The Centre for Industrial Collaboration interacts with industries through various programmes to impart application knowledge and integrated industrial training to the students and faculty, along with live industrial projects, placement through campus interviews and industrial collaborations.

According to the website, about 80% of eligible final year students, who seek a placement, are placed with reputed organisations through campus placements.

A fully-residential campus, Karunya has 11 hostels on its campus, which accommodate 7,200 students. Internet centres are available in the hostels. # Don't Miss! Best Engineering Colleges in Tamil NaduSharda University

Established in 2009 as a state private university, Sharda University, has five schools (Engineering and Technology, Business Studies, Allied Sciences and Creative Arts, Dental Sciences, Medical Sciences and Research) offering a variety of courses.

SU has six conference halls, an auditorium with a seating capacity of 235, and 14 playgrounds. Each school has its own library, and the institute has a well-stacked electronic library with OPAC to cater to the needs of students along with electronic resources.

It claims to offer financial assistance through stipend and assistantship on income and merit-cum-means basis, as well as fee waivers. International collaborations have been established with the Association of Business Executives, Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown, Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway, and the Community College of Texas on biodiesel research.

All students enrolled in the placement programme are eligible for the Campus Recruitment Programme. A Research and Technology Development Centre (RTDC) has been established to explore research in the areas of science, engineering and medicine. Work on the piezoelectric transformer is being supported by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India.

The RTDC is also involved in research on photovoltaic technology development of Nano pores, Nano size particles, Biodiesel etc. RTDC is exploring technological development of biodiesel in collaboration with Community College Texas and also working to introduce short-term course on biodiesel. There are six hostels on the SU campus, each with a capacity of 270 students. There are seven more hostels in the pipeline. The campus also has separate accommodations for boys and girls, with some common facilities

Location: Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Chancellor: Pradeep Kumar Gupta

Flagship programme: BE/BTech (Honours)

Entrance exam: AIEEE/UPSEE/DCE/CAT/MAT/SAT/GMAT/ENAT/EMAT or SURE (Sharda University Record Examination)

Set on a 31-acre campus, Vignan University, located 15 km away from Guntur, houses eight engineering schools, offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across disciplines. Bright students can avail of full-fee and part-fee waiver scholarships for their undergrad studies.

The campus has two open air theatres, each with a seating capacity for 1,500-2,000 students. The central library houses more than 40,000 volumes, audio-visual materials and approximately 200 national and international journals. I

t can seat 600 students and has an enclave for research students. Global associations have been forged with the University of Fraser Valley, Canada, Edinburgh Napier University, UK and University of Massachusetts, Lowell, USA.

The institute claims that its UG and PG students can pursue their projects with BHEL, ECIL & BEL. Besides, some corporations might support incubation centres at the campus. The Placement & Training Cell organises several training sessions by in-house faculty and guest lecturers to help improve soft skills and domain knowledge, to prepare students for placements.

Hostel facilities are there for around 1,000 students, and the food available on campus is mostly vegetarian. # Don't Miss! Best Engineering Colleges in Andhra Pradesh

Manipal Institute of Technology

Established 57 years back, Manipal University is spread over 600 acres of green expanse and is home to 20,000 students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in several disciplines. MIT offers graduate programmes in 16 disciplines and postgraduate programmes in 21 streams.Each engineering discipline has its own laboratories. The Electrical & Electronics Department, for instance, has a Circuits & Measurements Lab, Integrated Electronics Lab, an Electrical Machinery Lab, a Power Electronics Lab and a Microprocessors & Embedded Systems Lab.

The MIT library comprises books (89,348), journals subscribed for the year 2009 (248), online journals (1184), back volumes of journals (10,166), CDs (2500) and video cassettes (764). E-PAC (Internet enabled Public Access Catalogue) helps the users in searching the various documents available in the library. IT facilities on campus include the Data Centre, PeopleSoft Enterprise, E-learning and Manipal Group-wide Connectivity (Manipal GWC). Students must complete a project in the 8th semester for four to six months, and the institute encourages companies who recruit in final placements to accept interns. The institute has a placement cell in place, headed by a faculty and coordinated by student representatives.

Seed money is provided to transform an idea into a product for select ideas with commercial potential. Thrust areas for such projects comprise IT in Healthcare and Agriculture and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation System. The Innovation Centre comprises a lab facility for design, emulation and testing for electrical sciences. The MIT hostel can house 6,080 students, and the school encourages all students to stay on campus, and it is mandatory for all first-year students to reside in the hostels.

SPU recently signed an MoU with the university Canada West, Canada, and has been a signatory of MoUs with other national and international institutes too.

Separate hostels are available for boys and girls with the total built-up area of 17,000 sq.m, which have reading rooms, TV rooms and recreation halls.

# Don't Miss! Best Engineering Colleges in Tamil Nadu

Vellore Institute of Technology

Located in Vellore, VIT offers programmes in Science and Humanities, Engineering and Technology, Buisness Administration as well as Computer Applications.

Almost a self-contained township, the campus has adequate classrooms, hostels and other facilities that go with a first class college. The library has a video conferencing facility and also provides classroom teaching through Eklavya, EDUSAT programmes and NPTEL video courses in the different fields of education. Apart from a central library each school has seperate libraries.

Corporations have set up centres like Centre of Excellence for CISCO Advanced Networking, Red Hat Linux Competency Centre, Microsoft NET Centre etc. Regular national and international conferences/symposia and workshops are hosted on the campus.

VIT is the first educational institution in India to get international accreditations for its programmes by Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and Energy Institute, United Kingdom, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) of USA, ISO 9002 certificate by the DNV (Det Norske Veritas), Netherlands. Companies such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) have also accredited VIT.

The institute has also developed academic partnerships with reputed universities around the world, signing more than 70 MoUs (with developed countries like USA, UK, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Australia). Faculty members from partner universities visit VIT to deliver short-term lectures.

The Semester Abroad Programme (SAP) encourages students to complete their last semester project work at an overseas university. VIT also has a corpus of Rs. 30 lakhs to provide financial support to the needy students. VIT has started many joint/twinning programmes with options of dual degree with renowned universities in Europe and the USA.The institute has a Placement and Training Centre, which offers information, advice, guidance and support to students.

“Our students are to be Job creators and not Job seekers,” is the mission of this institute, which received deemed university status in the year 2003. Fully endowed, the institute has six laboratories, an auditorium, hostels and multimedia classrooms in addition to a departmental libraries.

Currently the placement rate is at 71%, but keeping in sync with the mission statement, the placement & training cell encourages entrepreneurship.

The cell organises workshops and training in the areas of soft skills, aptitude and technical skills, in collaboration with organisations such as the British Council and finishing schools. Foreign collaborations are also on. An entrepreneur cell to promote self employment on the part of the students, is in the pipeline.

Research at the university has grown over the past few years and there are currently 73 university research staff, 262 external supervisors and 308 PhD research students, research officers and assistants. Besides this, a number of candidates are pursuing MS Programmes as well.

#Don't Miss! Best Engineering Colleges in Tamil Nadu

Mewar University

Located in the Aravali ranges, the university is spread across 30 acres at Gangrar, just 12 km away from Chittorgarh town. It is a residential campus with facilities for the students, faculty and staff. Being the only university in the district, it especially benefits students from nearby districts such as Bhilwara, Neemuch, Rajsamand, Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Bundi, Udaipur (Rural) and Kota.

The campus has a fully computerised central library which stocks about 50,000 titles and a large collection of video/audio CDs. Industries and company information sources are also made available to the students. The campus is Wi-Fi enabled with a 2MBPS broadband connection for students’ use. The main computer lab is spread over 450 square metres and all machines have 24x7 online UPS power supply back-up by 750 KVA DG sets.

Scholarships are available as follows: MU Scholarships (75% tuition fee exemption to students securing 90% and above in 10+2) and Meritorious student Scholarships (25% of tuition fee free for students who secure 85% and above in 10+2).

The topper from each faculty is reimbursed tuition fees for one full year. Also, one student from each faculty, adjudged for excellence in extra-curricular activities like sports, oratory, presentation and cultural activity, will be reimbursed 50% of the tuition fee. The PDP programme for students is designed to equip students with skills such as workplace discipline, effective communication, office etiquette, to face the corporate world.

BITS started off in the early 1900s as a small school. By 1964, it had grown into a set of colleges offering programmes right from Humanities to Engineering and was finally brought together as one Indian university and was rechristened as the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani or BITS, Pilani.

In the engineering discipline, the institute offers integrated first degree programmes, higher degree programmes and Doctoral programmes, which are designed to allow as many components of science and applied science as are necessary for graduates to function effectively and efficiently in the technological society. Students can also pursue a double degree.

The BITS library, housed in a 65,000 Sq.ft. space, it has over 228,000 volumes, including books and bound volumes relating to Science and Technology, Management, Social Sciences and Humanities. The Practice School (PS), an internship programme, enables students to work in the real world for seven-and-a-half months; the classroom is taken to a professional settings such as national laboratories, financial institutions, R&D centres, software and healthcare organisations, where students and faculty get involved in real-life problems. Credits obtained by the student at the station form a part of his total credit towards his degree.

The institute has a structured placement process, and companies are contacted two months ahead of the placement week. With its track record and enviable alumni network placements are a breeze at BITS, Pilani. The Research and Consultancy Division’s focus areas include Biological Sciences, Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Economic and Finance.